Friday, December 3, 2004

Testimony puts heat on Giambi
NEW YORK -- Jason Giambi's reported testimony that he used steroids might jeopardize his $120 million contract with the New York Yankees and allow baseball commissioner Bud Selig to discipline him.

Sled dog tours a popular adventure
NEWRY, Maine Twenty-three Yukon huskies are frantically barking and jumping up and down and sideways, their born-to-run bodies eager to pull the dog sleds that are hitched behind them.

Aimed to amuse
Comedy, mystery, thrills, mimes, a delusional Capt. James T. Kirk and even Frankenstein combine this weekend in shows at Soldotna and Nikiski high schools.

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Auction to benefit nursing education a healthy success
The recent auction to raise funds for nursing education was a huge success. Thanks to all the organizations and people who participated and worked very hard to make this effort come together. Because of the shortage of qualified nurses on the peninsula, Kenai Peninsula College will offer a two-year RN program beginning in January. The funds raised at the auction will go toward assisting these students through

Community support of Kenai senior center appreciated
We at the Kenai Senior Center would like to send out a huge thank you to the many people in our community who actively support our senior population through generous donations of time, money and personal involmenet...

Photo feature: Cloud shroud
Clouds roll off Mount Iliamna at sunset Thursday evening. The central peninsula will have a little more than six hours of daylight today.

In the news: Crime Stoppers
Central Peninsula Crime Stoppers is offering a reward for information leading to the arrest of suspects involved in the theft of large amounts of firewood from a wood pile one-quarter mile down Crooked Creek Road in Kasilof.

Tesoro tax assessment to cost borough $80,000
The Kenai Peninsula Borough's Assessing Department has asked for $80,000 in supplemental funding to cover the cost of appraising the value of the Tesoro Refinery property for the upcoming 2005 tax year.

University system tries to curb enrollment drop
The University of Alaska administration noticed an 8 percent drop in enrollment at Kenai Peninsula College, and enrollment numbers are lower this year at community campuses all over the state.

Report: Juneau Creek route looks to be easiest on fish
A plan to run the proposed Sterling Highway Mile 45 to 60 redesign project north of the Kenai River and across Juneau Creek appears to have the least impact on anadromous fish habitat of three possible alternatives, according to a preliminary report prepared for the state.

Kenai bluff study nears completion
That the city of Kenai is slowly disappearing into Cook Inlet one grain of sand at a time, three feet per year is perhaps the biggest issue currently facing the city.

Beaver Creek fire cause not known
Marathon Oil Co. officials are trying to determine the cause of a fire in the Beaver Creek field Tuesday evening that destroyed two wastewater treatment tanks and damaged a gas wellhead and a small boom truck.

Photo feature: Something to sing about
Toddlers sing a song during story time at the Kenai library Wednesday morning. A reading is offered for children under three years old on Wednesdays from 11:00 to 11:30 a.m. and on Thursdays from 10:30 to 11:30 for children three- to five-years-old. The Soldotna library will offer story time Wednesdays from 10:30 to 11:00 a.m. after the first of the year.

Barbara Joan Cocklin
Longtime Kasilof resident Barbara Joan Cocklin died Monday, Nov. 29, 2004, at Central Peninsula General Hospital in Soldotna after a long illness. She was 75.

Predator control necessary Program must continue in order to improve moose populations
Debates about predator control are often heated, in part, because Alaskans have different values and care deeply about how wildlife is managed in our great state. I know and understand that predator control is a very controversial issue, and respect the thoughts and concerns of those who disagree with the actions that the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADFG) is taking.

New ideas should be considered by Cook Inlet fishers
It's encouraging to hear that the Kenai Wild salmon program is ramping up efforts to market Cook Inlet salmon across the nation. Our fish are the best in the world, and it's high time our neighbors to the south began treating wild Alaska salmon with the respect it deserves

Southern Baptist school movement grows in states
SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Frustration with public education seems to be growing among the nation's Southern Baptists, with supporters of Christian schools and home schooling arguing that if God is absent from the classroom then their children should leave, too.

Faith means being thankful, no matter what happens
In his first Thanksgiving proclamation, George Washington urged all Americans to "... unite in rendering unto God sincere and humble thanks for his kind care and protection of the people of this country, and for all the great and various favors which he has been pleased to confer upon us."

Future unknown
HONOLULU  One of the rarest birds on Earth came closer to being wiped out  if not already extinct  with the death of one of the last three believed to exist, officials said.

Willingham takes blame
SOUTH BEND, Ind. Tyrone Willingham blamed himself Wednesday for his firing as Notre Dame coach, saying he failed to meet the school's expectations of producing an elite team.

Putting football in perspective
PHILADELPHIA  Two years ago, JP Blecksmith was a Navy football player just like any other, catching passes, trying to win games  and aware that a greater challenge was ahead.

Hakkinen leads U.S. team
Jay Hakkinen of Kasilof was the top U.S. men's finisher in a Europa Cup race held in Geilo, Norway, on Saturday.

Magic number: Orlando nets 129
ORLANDO, Fla. Steve Francis scored 23 points, Grant Hill added 17 and the Orlando Magic posted the NBA's highest-scoring game of the season with a 129-108 thrashing of the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday night.

ACS wrestlers hunt Kachemak crown
Anchorage Christian Schools will be the favorite to keep its Kachemak Conference title Friday and Saturday at Grace Christian School in Anchorage.

End of an era at Notre Dame
Every fading dynasty gets more desperate the further the memories recede, and it turns out Notre Dame is no different.

NHL labor talks set for next week
NEW YORK  The NHL and the players' association will resume talks next week in an effort to end the 78-day lockout and save the season.

Hall has tackle in Falcons' victory
Travis Hall, who was born and raised in Kenai, had a tackle in the Falcons' 24-21 victory over the New Orleans Saints Sunday. The Falcons are now 9-2 and sit atop the NFC South. If the playoffs were to start today, they would have a first-round bye in the playoffs.

Klitschko preps for fight, worries about home
LAS VEGAS Vitali Klitschko begins his day an hour earlier than usual, waking at 6 a.m. so he can have some time before training for his heavyweight title defense against Danny Williams.

Eagles schedule forces them to play hard
The week after one of the earliest division clinchings in NFL history, the Philadelphia Eagles might be getting a break by hosting streaking Green Bay. Playing a good and hungry team is the best reason not to let down.

Notre Dame officials have talk with Meyer
SALT LAKE CITY  Notre Dame began its pursuit of Utah's Urban Meyer, spending several hours in town Thursday to meet with him about becoming the coach of college football's most glamorous program.